Beads of Courage and Art Charm Exchange (Teaser Post)

It's that time of year again...

... for the Bead Of Courage AUCTION hosted by Glass Addictions (Jen Cameron) and the rest of the Art Charm Exchange crew!

As per usual, we make eleven charms- one for the auction, one to keep, and nine to trade with the other artists involved! Jen sorts and counts and makes sure everyone gets cool charms that are totally different; IE: we don't get the same charm twice! Some of the more ambitious artists made two sets!!!

To start off, I'd like to tell the story about my charms...

Materials:
Polymer Clay
Brass tone flying heart keys
Silver Jumprings (the bottom ones are handmade!)

Description:
The main piece of this charm was created using polymer clay and rolling it in a pasta machine for even thickness. Then I lovingly handcrafted each wing and heart using my fingers and a toothpick, (to get the wing's ruffles and the indent for the heart). This year's theme is "SOAR" so I thought a flying heart especially appropriate. I thought that love can make your heart soar and give you butterflies in your stomach, so that's why I ended up with this design. The brass key symbolizes, of course, the key to your heart. It also has little wings so it can keep up with the flying heart! :) The background of the polymer clay charm is sky blue sparkle with translucent clay to mimic clouds, the wings are white and the little hearts are lavender. An original creation by me of ZenithJade Creations especially made for the Art Charm Exchange and Beads of Courage!

May Your Heart Soar!!!

This is the process I went through to make my soaring heart charms...

Here, each circle has been cut and the holes punched out where the jumprings will go, plus I'm starting to put on the little wings.

Here's a closeup of the charms without the hearts...

And here's one of the tiny wings I formed using my fingers and a toothpick.

Here are the charms with the hearts put on. Lavender is one of my favorite colors...

This is the finished charm!!! I really debated about sealing it, but different artists have different methods of sealing and sealants they use, so I chose not to.

And without further ado,

here are the charms I received from my partners in this year's 

Art Charm Exchange!

(You can sneak a quick peek at all the charms available in the auction going on right here!)

This is the charm made by SueBeads of Pittsburgh, PA!

Here's her blog: http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

In case you can't tell, this is a little red birdie!!! :) You might have seen my other post about SueBeads when I participated in the C5 challenge!

This is the charm made by Perri Jackson!

Here's her blog: http://ShaktipajDesigns.com/blog/

Hot air balloon time!

This is the charm made by Sheila Rose Prosterman of Belmont, MA!

Here's her blog: http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com/

3D fluttery wings!!!

This is the charm made by Melissa Trudinger of Australia!

Here's her blog: http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Lovely 2-sided birdie charm with our theme word on one side!

This is the charm made by Cate van Alphen!

Here's her blog: http://fulgorine.wordpress.com/

Another 2-sided charm! This one is either a Phoenix or a Peacock- either is AWESOME.

This is the charm made by Shai Williams!

Here's her blog: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

This is the only owl charm I got. Isn't it a "hoot?" *winks*

This is the charm made by Chris Eisenberg!

Here's her blog: http://wanderware.blogspot.com/

Another 2-sided charm! Love the blues...

This is the charm made by Lee Koopman!

Here's her blog: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Lovely little kite...with fibers!

This is the charm made by Lennis Carrier!

Here's her blog: http://windbent.net/

And the last one, another kite in cool coppery metals. :) It also includes our theme word!

I adore all the charms I received! Thanks everyone!!! :) You can view ALL the charms by going to the auction link HERE (there is one of each for sale in the auction for Beads of Courage!), or by visiting the blogs below! Have fun and happy blog-hopping!

Here's the list of participating artists:

Jennifer Cameron: http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog
Alenka Obid: http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca
YOU ARE HERE: Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com
Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.blogspot.co.uk
Cassi Paslick: http://badatbeingmom.blogspot.com/
Cate van Alphen: http://fulgorine.wordpress.com
Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg: http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Auld: http://beadsforbusygals.com/
Genevieve Gabbert: https://www.facebook.com/MasuDesigns/
Jami Shipp: http://celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Jill Bradley: http://www.jillybeads.blogspot.com
Kim Dworak: http://www.cianciblue.blogspot.com
Lee Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Lennis Carrier: http://www.windbent.net
Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com
Melissa Trudinger: http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/
Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale: http://nedbeads.blogspot.com
Nancy Smith: http://wirednan.blogspot.ca
Niky Sayers: http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Perri Jackson: http://ShaktipajDesigns.com/blog/
Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Shai Williams: http://www.shaihasramblings.com/2014/11/art-charm-exchange-auction.html
Sheila Prosterman: http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com
Susan Delaney: http://susandolphindelaney.wordpress.com
Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Terri DelSignore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com
Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog/

Beads of Courage/Art Charm Exchange QUICK UPDATE

My blog post is going up in about an hour! Watch for it!

Until then, here's the link to the beginnings of the auction goodies: http://www.ebay.com/sch/glassaddictions/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= !

They're all GORGEOUS!

Art Charm Exchange for the Auction Benefit for Beads of Courage... "LOVE"

So here is my official post for the Art Charm Exchange (hosted by Glass Addictions) & the Auction Benefit for Beads of Courage (BoC)... the (our!) theme this year is "LOVE".

I suffered pretty bad "performance anxiety" during the making & reveal of our charms. I just wasn't sure if my charms would be "good enough"... after receiving my charms, I realized that it wasn't necessarily how "good" they were, but how much LOVE and SOUL went into each piece... now that is something I have in SPADES. :) I am so honored to be a part of the Art Charm Exchange and the Auction Benefit for Beads of Courage. Let me share the creations I made & received with you...

A BUNCH OF LITTLE CHARMS made by ME!

 Beautiful light blue pearl polymer clay, with a dark blue pearl heart coated in Pearl-x powder and sealed; it also has a lovely *vintage* light blue marquise stone that I acquired from a friend and embedded in the clay... and the heart has little rays coming from it, like a comet! Universal love, or love from above. The findings are silver-plated.

See the little rays? :) It's a LOVE COMET!

 It actually has a silver-plated screw eye, so the charm stays on the post! :) I bought mine in bulk at the BeeHive on facebook. Andi & Dee (the owners) have them in a variety of finishes, including gold.

 The hearts are formed by hand, using my fingers and some mad skillz. *winks* The little bases for the charms are formed the same way- entirely by hand. :)

YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN CHARMS BY GOING HERE. (CLICK!) There are a TON to choose from!!!

Here are the charms I received, in alphabetical order by first names:

By Alicia Marinache of All the Pretty Things @

http://allprettythings.ca/

By Julie Bowen of Autochthonous Evolved @

http://AutEvDesigns.com/

By Kristi Bowman of Kristi Bowman Design @

http://KristiBowmanDesign.etsy.com/

By Lennis Carrier of WindBent @

http://windbent.etsy.com/

By Linda Haskell of Lilys of the Valley Jewelry @

http://lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com/

By Lori Bowring Michaud of Artfully Ornamental @

http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com/

By Michelle McCarthy of Firefly Design Studio @

http://fireflydesignstudio.etsy.com/

By Toltec Jewels (Rita) of Toltec Jewels @

http://toltecjewels.etsy.com/

By Terri DelSignore of artistcaos @

http://artistcaos.blogspot.com/

Here is the complete list of all participants, (there are a LOT of us- please visit us each when you can!):

Jen Cameron: http://glassaddictions.com/blog/

Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com

Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog/

Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.co.uk

Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com

Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Nancy Dale : http://www.nedbeads.blogspot.com

Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca

Cassi Paslick: http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com

Alenka Obid: http://www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com

Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

Shelley Graham Turner: http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com

Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com

Lennis Carter: http://windbent.wordpress.com

Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com

Perri Jackson: http://shaktipajdesigns.com/blog/

Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com

Ginger Bishop: http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Jean Peter: http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com

Linda Florian: http://lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com

Patricia Pulliam: http://rusticstudio.blogspot.com

Karin Grosset Grange: http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr

Julie Bowen: http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com

Susan Delaney: http://ladyflowersbysusan.wordpress.com

Emma Todd: http://www.apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com

Carolyn Chenault : http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com

Terri Del Signore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com

Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com

Cheryl (Lee) Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Lori Bowring Michaud: http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com

YOU ARE HERE- Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com

Jacqueline Carlson: http://www.beadgypsy.blogspot.com

Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com

Charlene Bausinger Jacka: http://clay-space.com/blog/

Kristi Bowman: http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com

YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN CHARMS BY GOING HERE. (CLICK!) There are a TON to choose from!!! 

Some of my Art & a Lesson in Business

 Both of these prints are getting donated to the Froghaven Farm auction. I sure hope you guys like them. The above one is a fractal, designed by me! It's called "Artist's Palette [Fractal]." (You can look up what a fractal is right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractals) and the bottom one is a landscape I took right outside of Cashton, WI. It's called "Lonely Tree." I know, not the most original name in the world, but it suits! *grins*

Here is Amanda Luxe's Lesson in Business, (it's a link to her blog!): http://www.pinkcandyfashion.blogspot.com/2009/10/tips-for-making-money-by-working-at.html. I thought it had some good points! I'm sure I'll have points to add, but it's getting late, and I need to get some sleep! I've pulled too many over-nighters recently! *winks*